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Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Shortcut Shopping

The lovely Mrs Fab and I were having a conversation the other day and she reminded me about an item of clothing I bought eons ago thanks to a post of hers. The said leather jacket was 'sourced' by Mrs Fab via a friend of hers, Vanessa - a friend who is one of those wonderful women who have the 'eye'. Anyway I bought the leather jacket and wore it to death for 18months before ebaying it. At the time I was dong my MA and it worked so well I was asked in the LCF library, in shops and everywhere about this jacket. It had 3/4 length sleeves which needed long sleeves under it and then arm warmers over the top on very cold days. I also wore a lurex snood thing from Zara with it all the time as well. On coat days I changed from leather jacket to my Mango faux fur leopard coat - which also hit the ebay pile. Both belonged to my 'student days' and I couldn't face another winter's wear out of them.

Vanessa street style snap from Look magazine

My leather jacket was a great example of shortcut shopping. I love this option when you are so busy and have no time to even think about the inside of a shop or a magazine flick let alone an internet browse. You see someone you know with something you like, you ask, you contemplate and then you buy. I'm often asked by people where I've got something from and I tell them. In fact being a stylist I often go the whole hog and can usually tell them stock levels and product number. My view is that I bought it in a shop off the rail and so can anyone so it seems perfectly fair to be asked and to supply the information.

Some people have a problem with shortcut shopping. They will give a vague answer to the question 'oh this old thing' or 'I can't remember' even throwing you off scent with 'I think it was in [insert wrong shop]'.

I can appreciate the fact they might want to preserve their sources but really is there any point. One of the primary reasons for the success of fashion blogging was the sharing of the items they'd bought, were wearing and items they admired/coveted etc. The joy of shortcut shopping is that you are buying a new creative angle. One you hadn't thought of or rather you get to see something with fresh eyes. The reason you notice the item is because the person is wearing the item with confidence. Confidence is 9/10's of fashion fabulousness. The more you love something, the more you wear it well.

The next level to shortcut shopping is stealth shopping. Stealth shopping is when you spot someone wearing items you admire and then you follow the person around seeing what they select and do the same! The items might work on you or they might not but you get to widen and open your style horizins when you do a bit of stealth shopping. Shortcut or Stealth Shopping is a great way to inject the new or the fabulous into your wardrobe. Do it loud and proud but don't say I told you to!